I’m so excited to tell you about a new monthly Hop group I’m in! I started the Collected Crafty Collabs hop group with 3 dear friends of mine: Anna Mahtani, Marie Bingaman, and Virginia Fairchild, and we have affectionately been calling ourselves the Squirrel Sisters! Not only do we each love the little critters, we are seriously sidetracked by any little thing! And like squirrels, we have collected a little hoard of nuts, er… stash of crafty supplies and its time to dig them out and give them some love! Since forming the group we’ve had some talented artists join us to make this a hop you won’t want to miss. Every month, the hop will be inspired by a prompt or theme, along with a supply type. We can use either just theme, just the supply, or for a real challenge, use both! So check out my projects (yes, two!!!) and hop along with us to see what the rest of the group created with the prompt. And along the way, if you enjoy a post please consider subscribing to their blog! Take a look at the first card:
![20200624_002918[1]](https://misplacedmojo.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/20200624_0029181.jpg?w=450&h=450)
![20200624_002943[1]](https://misplacedmojo.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/20200624_0029431.jpg?w=450&h=337)
Some consider me an overachiever for making 2 cards, and while that can be true sometimes, this time I just couldn’t decide what I wanted to do or which card to use! For the debut hop of the Collected Crafty Collabs, I couldn’t help but use squirrels for my images!!! Not only did I use both a Critter and a stencil, I did a ton of masking! This design is not for the faint of heart, and it took so long that I tried to save time with the coloring and instead messed it up with the coloring method. While I watercolor with Tombows all the time, I do so on Bristol paper, but I prepped this one layer wonder on a standard card base thinking I would have time for pencils or alcohol markers. I’m still happy with how all the stamping and masking turned out and how many squirrels I manged to get on one card! The squirrels are from a Poppy Stamps set called Cover Squirrel and the stencil is Simon Says Stamps Grassy, inked in 3 shades of Distress Oxides. The speech bubbles are from Lawn Fawn A Birdie Told Me. I would love to claim this idea as my own, but I was totally inspired by Eloise Blue and her card here. OK, ready for the next one?
![20200624_002612[1]](https://misplacedmojo.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/20200624_0026121.jpg?w=450&h=450)
![20200624_002957[1]](https://misplacedmojo.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/20200624_0029571.jpg?w=450&h=337)
This card was so much faster to make! The background is made with 4 colors of Distress Oxides and the stencil used is called Patterned Leaf by Gina Marie Designs. For my image, I actually remembered to use Bristol paper for Tombow watercoloring this sweet image, and coordinating sentiment, both from the My Favorite Things set aptly named Squirrel! I used stitched dies from Simon Says Stamps for the card front and focal layer. A little more ink blending and popping up my squirrel buddy on foam tape, and this one was done. I feel like it needs some bling or epoxy dots, but the card is for a guy and I resisted adding any distractions.
I’m eager to see what the rest of the group did with this month’s prompt, and I know you will be blown away by their talent. Many are design team members for brands or sites and will be familiar faces, but there is new talent to be discovered as well, so check out the full line up below and enjoy your trip around our crafty blogland! Thanks for stopping by, and if you are new here following the hop from a different starting point, please consider subscribing to my blog and checking me out on Instagram!
I am submitting one of these cards to the following challenges:
- Make My Monday – #125 – Use Stencils
- The Sisterhood of Crafters – Stenciling
- HLS Dies – June – Anything Goes with Dies
- Colouring in Scrapland – AG or Unconventional Card
- Stamping Sensations – June – Make it Colorful
- Crafty Sentiments Designs – Anything Goes
- Try it on Tuesday – Create a Scene
- Arty Divas – #24 – Anything Goes
Misplaced Mojo 
[…] Karen Page Charlotte EBoryana Yankova Lounon Riviere Yvette OleaLee Ann McKinneyNatasha Davies Martha Lucia Gomez Donna PerisicVirginia Fairchild Katy IngramTeresa Russell Danielle Brown <<<You are hereLisa Wolfe Anna Mahtani Sam McLeanValerie Powell […]
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[…] I decided to use both on my project. If you’ve already been hopping and joined me from Karen’s site, then welcome! And if I’m your first stop on the hop don’t worry, I’ll have […]
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[…] you would like to start at the beginning of the hop and view the complete hop list, Karen of Misplaced Mojo has got you […]
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Your cards are both fabulous, Karen! I especially love that first one, it’s just so clever. I’m really happy to be a part of this fun hop!
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Thank you Charlotte, and so glad to have you along on the hop!!!
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Great cards, Karen! I love the squirrel theme, so perfect for our very first hop! Its an absolute pleasure to be working with you, Marie and Virginia on this. You are a superstar!
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Thanks, Anna… for the sweet comment and all the help you have been in planning this and working out the bugs! We make a great team!!!
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So cute ! Love them both !
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Thanks, Lounon! So glad you could join in the hop too!
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Oh my!! Two super adorable cards with these cutu squirrels ❤️ Love them both 🙂
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Thanks Bory!!! I couldn’t *not* use a squirrel!
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Your cards is so stinking adorable!. I just love them to pieces and the story behind it.Thanks for organizing these hops for all of us.!
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Oh Lisa, one day soon we will share the whole squirrel story! Thank you for the kind words, they make my day! And I am more than happy to organize the hops. I admit to having a couple brief moments of panic but overall this has been a pleasure and I can’t wait to get to know everyone better over the months!
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Amazing!! 😀
I am LOVING these cheeky little Squirrels, and you’re right they really are the most amazingly appropriate critter to kick off this Hop with!!
Thank you for allowing me along on this journey with you and I can’t wait to see what everyone else makes!!! 😀
Stay crafty!
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Someday we will have to share the real reason we had to incorporate squirrels! So happy you are on this journey with us, Tasha!!! Can’t wait to get to know you better through the months too 😊
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Hahahaha!!! That sounds ominously hilarious somehow! 😂😂
I’ve had some proper giggles already and I’m looking forward to a barrel more!! 💗
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Its probably one of those things that was funnier at the time, but its too good not to share!
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I won’t pick a favorite, you can’t make me! These are both fantastic! ♡
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Renee, my friend, your comment has be smiling big time! LOL, ok… I won’t make you pick! Thank you so much though!!! 😁
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I LOVE how these turned out and your liberal use of squirrels!!! They are both so cute and so different! Super excited for this hop!
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“Liberal use of squirrels” would be an awesome band name, and is going to be my new fav expression worked into all types of conversations!!! I love you, Virginia!!! Thank you for the sweet words, all the help and advice, and the tons of emotional support over the last couple months. I could not have gotten by without you and my Squirrel Sisters!!!! Much love!
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GAH, these are so cute! I chuckled when I saw your first card, noting the use of squirrels. Just perfect! That MFT squirrel is the CUTEST!!! I wish I had that set. I love your cards lady, and you too, for all your hard work in getting the ball rolling and keeping it rolling! 🙂
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Come now… I have 14 stamp sets with squirrels. Do you really think I wouldn’t use them for at least the first hop? Unless I am significantly challenged by the monthly prompt, I have enough squirrel sets to do 2 cards for each of them! All squirrels, all the time! Bwahahahaha! With my squirrels, I will rule the WORLD! *cough* *cough* Ahem, thanks for the sweet comment, my dear Squirrel Sister! And for being there for me. I’m pissed we hadn’t met sooner cause something tells me we have missed out on a ton of fun! Glad to have found you now though!!!
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I love both cards! The stencil is so pretty :-). Thank you SO much for organizing! I look forward to next month’s hop!!!
-Danielle
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My pleasure Danielle!!! And thank you! 😁
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These are adorable!! I love that you chose squirrels to kick things off!! ❤️
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Yeah, well squirrels became an inside joke early in my friendship with the other Squirrel Sisters. One day soon we will have to share the full story! I *HAD* to use a squirrel though… I even tried not to and couldn’t!!! LOL In fact, it came to light that I have 14 stamps sets with squirrels, so you may see another version again… and again… 😁😁😁
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Awesome cards! Beautiful stenciling! Thanks so much for joining in the fun at our Sisterhood of Crafters challenge! Good Luck and we hope you’ll come back often.
Darlene
SISTERHOOD OF CRAFTERS
DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS
Please stop in for a visit!
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Both cards are so cute. Darling images and so glad you shared over at Crafty Sentiments.
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Super fun! I love the inking. Thanks for joining us at The Sisterhood of Crafters challenges.
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Fabulous card! Thanks for sharing with us at Make My Monday Challenge Blog. Hope to see you again!
Crafty hugs
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Thank you for sharing your lovely summer cards with us at Try it on Tuesdays.
Yvonne
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2 great cards, Karen! I love your very clever use of the speech bubbles on your first card! So creative! They all work so well together! Great colouring! Tanks so much for joining us at HLS Dies Challenge this month.
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how cute, we love them thanks for joining us, Colouring in Scrapland team
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[…] them a simple prompt! If you remember last month was Critters and/or Stencils. If you missed it, this link will take you to my post and the full hop lineup. Today, you should have arrived here from the mega […]
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